Banana Wellness Shake

Before I jumped into my health cleanse last month, I'll be honest, I was feeling pretty crappy in general. Not only was I not treating my body well in terms of food - either skipping meals all together, or filling up on takeout and unhealthy snacks - but, my food selection was causing me to feel unmotivated, moody, and just plain tired. It was having a negative effect on my work and my personal life. I felt like I was slipping into a creative rut which, in turn, was bumming me out even more because I had just begun gaining traction from my relaunch.

Now, I know that health cleanses are not for everyone, so I'm not suggesting you mirror what I did, but, for me personally, this "reset" helped tremendously. I was able to hit a switch, in a sense, and alter my habits. It motivated me to go back to the gym, got me excited about quick and healthy meals (especially breakfast), and opened up a space on the blog that I didn't see before. Even better than that, the cleanse forced me outside of my comfort zone and I tried foods that I never even looked at before. Think: dates, hemp seeds, and coconut milk.

Today, I am sharing a recipe that I tried during this period last month and LOVED. I loved it so much that I have now made it over 100 times on my own (no, seriously). I drink this banana "wellness" shake every single morning when I wake up, in addition to making it at night when I'm craving something sweet, and for Sam whenever he needs an extra boost of energy. It takes less than 5 minutes to throw together in my blender and it tastes better than any sugary cappuccino or reheated breakfast sandwich; and it definitely feels better than starting my day on an empty belly.

The recipe works best with a frozen banana but, if you don't have one on hand, just add extra ice cubes to make it creamy. Tip: the more ice cubes you throw in, the more it becomes the consistency of ice cream. ;)

Ingredients:

1 frozen banana

1 cup unsweetened coconut milk

4 medjool dates, pitted

2 tsp hulled hemp seeds

small handful of sliced almonds

pinch of cinnamon

drop of vanilla extract

handful of ice cubes

drizzle of honey (if desired)

Directions:

Add all ingredients to a blender. Blend on high until smooth and creamy. Enjoy!